Gauge reel brake and wiper



1953 .1. E. HIGGINS GAUGE REEL BRAKE AND WIPER Filed Jan. 12, 1951 I l..l.

INVENTOR QJZ EXHiQQZTZS ATTORNEYS Patentecl Dec. 15, 1953 UNITED STATES'PATENT OFFICE GAUGE REEL BRAKE AND WIPEB Jason E. Higgins, Kermit, Tex.

Application January 12, 1951, Serial No. 205,662

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a measuring tape or gage reel.

An object of this invention is to provide in a measuring tape a brake means whereby the rotation of the reel may be braked as the tape is being unwound therefrom.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a measuring tape, means for wiping liquids, such as oil, from the tape as the latter is being rewound on the reel.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tape wiping attachment which can be easily mounted on the present structure of a tape reel without altering the parts of the reel.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tape braking attachment for a tape reel whereby the unwinding of the tape may be braked.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a longitudinal section taken substantially on the line I--l of Figure 2 of a measuring tape reel structure constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral i designates generally a frame structure which is formed of a pair of opposite side members I I and I2 and opposite end members I3 and 14. A tape carrying drum i5 is fixedly mounted on a shaft is which extends between the side members II and i2, and a crank or handle I! is secured to one end of the shaft l6.

An elongated length of flat tape I8 is wound about the drum l5 and is adapted to be extended downwardly between the side members II and H2 at the rear or handle end of the frame as shown in Figure l. A handle I9 which includes a threaded stud 20 is removably threaded into the rear end wall l4 and extends lengthwise of the side members ii and I2.

In order to provide a means whereby the unwinding of the tape l8 may be retarded particularly after a substantial amount of tape has been unwound from the drum I5, I have provided a brake structure which includes a longitudinally bowed resilient carrier 2i which is formed of a flat strip of resilient metal.

The carrier 2| is secured at one end as indicated at 22 to the end wall 13 and extends upwardly with the concave side thereof innermost partially about and above the tape I8 which is wound on the drum ii. The rear portion of the carrier 2| is reversely bowed as indicated at 23 and extends in the direction of the handle it so that the rear extension 23 which also forms a brake operating handle will be disposed in a convenient position for engagement by a finger or thumb of a hand which may be grasping the handle IS. A longitudinally curved brake element 24 in the form of a body of rubber or the like is disposed ,on the inner side of the carrier 2| being secured thereto by a fastening member 25. The carrier 2| is formed with a pair of downwardly extending ears or retaining members 26 engaging on opposite sides of the brake element 24 so as to hold thelatter against turning movement with respect to the securing member 25 and the carrier 2 i.

The retaining members 26 as shown in Figure 3 project downwardly or inwardly below the brake element 24 so as to partially straddle the adjacent windings of the tape [8 and thereby assure full contact of the-brake element 24 with the tape I8. 1 p

The frame structure I0 also has secured thereto a tape wiper attachment constructed in the form of a U-shaped member generally designated as 21. U-shaped member 21 is formed of a pair of parallel plates 28 which are connected together by a connecting member 29. The connecting member 29 engages against the rear side of the rear wall l4 and is formed with an opening 30 through which the threaded stud is adapted to engage so that when the handle I9 is secured by means of the stud 20 to the frame 10, the connecting member 29 will also be firmly secured to the frame I0. The carrier or U-shaped member 21 includes a downwardly extending arm 3! integral with each plate 28 and a flexible roller 32 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 33 extending between the ears or arms 3 i The roller or wiper member 32 is disposed in a position to engage the inner side of the tape i8 as the latter is extended from the drum l5.

A second wiping roller 34 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 35 extending between the pair of ears 36 which are carried by a downwardly projecting lever 31. The lever 31 extends loosely between the frame members II and i 2 and projects upwardly to a point above the upper edges of the frame members H and [2. The two plates l8 are provided with a pair of upwardly projecting ears 38 between which a. shaft 39 engages and the lever 31 is provided with a pair of forwardly projecting ears or lugs 40 which rotatably engage the shaft 29. -A spring 4| engaging about the shaft 39 constantly urges the lever 31 rearwardly 5 at its lower end so as to thereby normally hold the movable or swingable wiping roller 34 out of contact with the outer side of the tape I8.

The upper end or the lever B'I terminates in a rearwardly and angula ijly projectinghaiidleprl 1 bellcrank' member-42 which extndsbetwenthe handle 23 and the handle l9 so that the handle or operator 42 may be engaged by a finger or thumb of a hand grasping the handle' ltl so as to rock the handle 42 downwardly at its re ar end and thereby swing the lower end""of""levr' 43 forwardly until roller 34 er i gages with, the

outer side of the tape l8 where th tape is passing over the inner roller 32.

In the use and operation of this device the brake attachment is secured toi the frame. lflby the securing member 22,,so'thatqthe brake ele-, ment 24 will be disposed rover-l the tape which .is wound on the reel or drum IS. The brake element 24 is normally disposed out of engagement 25 with the tape by reason ofthe resiliency of the carrier 2 i As the tape [8 is unwound and .is extended downwardly overthe roller 32;.whichinitially constitutes 'a guide roller,*the' weight of;the extended portion of the tape" will tend tocause 0on tinued' unwinding of thetape' 'until substantially all of the tape has been unwound. -In: order,

therefore; to providefo'r' Stopping or retarding the rotation of the reel, the'car'ri'er H is pressed 35 inwardly by'a finger engaging the'operator 23;- so that the brake el'ement"24iwill coirie intobrak ing engagement with 'thei'outerf side of the tape remaining-onthe'drumfi;

A tape measure of this kind is frequently used 40 aus'ingwip:

The roller 34 will press the tape against the inner roller 32 so that any liquids adhering to the tape will be wiped from the tape as the reel is being wound up through the medium of the crank 11.

What is claimed is:

In combination, a measuring tape structure comprising a frame formed of parallel opposite sides, and opposite ends, a supporting handle for said frame, a, threaded ,stud carried, by said handle engaging one of said ends, a tape drum rotatably disposed between said sides, a tape wound on said drum, a crank fixed relative to said drum, ,a ,,U -,shaped member straddling said one en c l, said stud extending through the bight of said member, a wiping roller rotatably carried -by said member and engageable with one side of the tape, a spring-pressed lever rockably disposed-between the sides of said member and depending between the sides of said frame, a fingeiflengageable handle on said lever extending out of said frame, a second wipingirolle carried by the lower end of said lever confronting the other side ofthe tape, a brake membercarr ried by said frame and. a second finger engaging v handle on said brake memberadjacent said firstfinger engaging handlelin parallel relation thereto, whereby compression of said handles between, the thumb andthe forefinger may be effected; while holding said supporting handle in the,

hand, simultaneously effecting engagement of said wiping rollers and said brake member with said tape, and release of said handles disengaging both said rollers and. said brake to facilitate movement of said tape.

JASON, E. HIGGINS,

ReferencestCited in'the file of this patent, UNITEDSTATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,703,703, Anderson Feb. 26, 1929 1,991,263 Stewart Q Febv12, 1935 2,099,l53 Walker Nov. 16, 1937 2,150,086 Truman Mar. '7, 1939 

